Nickelodeon will record the best year in its 29-year history, finishing 2008 as basic cable's number-one rated network in total day and first in all kids and tween demos. SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS will finish 2008 as the top-rated series for kids 2-11 as it heads into its 10th anniversary year in 2009, and ICARLY ranks as the number-one kids' show on all of television with kids 6-11.
Sci Fi Channel's growth for 2008 has resulted in its best annual ranking ever at #5 among Adults 25-54, and #9 among Adults 18-49, its best finish since 2005 among all entertainment cable networks.
Additionally, the Nickelodeon Kids and Family Group's television properties -- Nickelodeon, NOGGIN, The N, Nicktoons Network -- will collectively own a dominant 47% of all viewing among kids 2-11 for 2008. This year also marked the best performances ever for Nickelodeon's digital networks, each which achieved double-digit ratings growth over last year.
2008 marks Sci Fi's best year ever in all key demographics, most notably the double digit growth among female viewers. Sci Fi has firmly established its mainstream appeal, and the aggressive strategy to broaden reach and attract new viewers yielded the network's highest reach ever, with new viewers fueling a +3% increase above Sci Fi's previous highest reach ever record set in 2007.
In 2008, Sci Fi averaged a 1.0 Household rating; 242,000 Adults 18-34 (up 4%); 616,000 Adults 18-49 (up 5%); 695,000 Adults 25-54 (up 6%) and 1,278,000 total viewers (up 7%). Sci Fi had two years of consecutive growth among females audiences, with a 12% increase among Women 25-54, a14% jump in Women 18-49 and 6% more Women 18-34. Sci Fi also ranked among the top ten among Men 25-54 (#6), Men 18-49 (#9) and Women 25-54 (#10).
Additionally, it was a very good year for Nickelodeon on the Internet. Nickelodeon Kids and Family Group's portfolio of digital sites will close 2008 in first place among all kid and family web destinations, based on its monthly average of 131 million visits and total of 2.4 billion minutes in time spent (source: comScore U.S. Media Metrix). Nickelodeon Kids and Family's portfolio of gaming sites also produced a monthly average of 22 million unique game players and totaled 20 billion game plays for the year (source: Omniture SiteCatalyst) -- reaching more visitors than any other portfolio of online gaming sites.
